On November 19, the Baiguoshu No. 1 Tunnel, a key control project of the Wuhan-Yichang section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway and the longest tunnel on the entire line, was successfully holed through. The tunnel was constructed and managed by the Yangtze River Coastal Railway Group Co., Ltd. and built by China Railway 11th Bureau Group. The breakthrough marks a further acceleration of the construction of the entire Wuhan-Yichang section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway, laying the foundation for subsequent girder erection and ballastless track construction.

The Baiguoshu No. 1 Tunnel is located in Jingmen City, Hubei Province, with a total length of 3,023.3 meters. It is designed as a single-tube double-track tunnel with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour and is the longest tunnel on the entire Wuhan-Yichang section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway. Because the entire tunnel lies in a soluble rock area with extremely complex geological conditions, and to ensure the construction schedule of the entire Wuhan-Yichang section, the tunnel was designed to be constructed in three work zones: the entrance, a cross adit, and the exit.

Since construction began in November 2021, the project department of the company has, in response to the complex geology and extremely high risks of the weak surrounding rock frequently encountering faults, collapses, karst and water inflow, prepared special construction plans, set up a dedicated advance geological forecasting team, and adopted effective measures such as "emphasizing geology, precise forecasting, strict water control, weak blasting, strong support, frequent measurement and early sealing," applying advanced techniques and equipment to build a "worry-free" project.

Environmental protection concepts were fully considered in the tunnel design and construction. The spoil generated by excavation is utilized as a resource to reduce land occupation and geological hazard risks; the portal design adopts a new green and environmentally friendly structure, reducing excavation and avoiding disturbance and damage to the mountain body, ensuring the safety of high-speed railway operations.

The newly built Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway passes through six provinces and municipalities—Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing and Sichuan—and is one of the backbone corridors of the national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed railway network. The total length of the line is about 2,100 kilometers, and the entire line is designed for a speed of 350 kilometers per hour. Once completed, it will connect the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, and is of great significance for building a comprehensive Yangtze River transportation system and promoting the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.